Two bills from Senator Joe Pittman were approved by the Senate Consumer Protection and Licensure Committee on Tuesday. The bills are designed to help physician assistants in the state.
Senate Bills 397 and 398 amend the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act and the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to modernize the practice of physician assistants. Senator Pittman called Pennsylvania one of the premier states for Physician Assistant education, but current legislation makes it less appealing for those students to stay after they earn their degree. The changes proposed will allow more physician assistants to practice in the state. Pittman said that physican assistants are very important, especially in rural communities.
The bills will now go to the full Senate.
